The things you describe are NOT "religions of a kind." Religion is the belief in, and reverence for, a supernatural power or powers.
reúligúion (r-ljn)
n. Abbr. rel., relig.
Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
A cause, a principle, or an activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.
The word "religion", as used in the context of the continuing discussion on this thread, has to do with people who believe in a supernatural being, and adhere to a set of beliefs, values and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader. If you call Marxism or Nazism a religion, you've changed the terms of the discussion completely.
Genghis Khan wasn't motivated by religion. The plantation owners in the Americas that enslaved millions of black Africans were not motivated by religion. They wanted power, and wealth. Stalin, Hitler and Mao wanted power and dominion. They weren't motivated by a belief in a supernatural being and adherence to the precepts of a spiritual leader. |
